Central Africa – Young Central African diplomats attend course at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa until 20 February

The international educational activity of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa is continuing in sub-Saharan Africa and contributing to the peaceful reconstruction of the Republic of Central Africa (RCA) by launching two training courses for diplomats, The Central African Republic has been immersed in a conflict that since 2012 has taken thousands of lives among civilians and generated over half a million refugees who have fled their homeland to seek asylum in bordering countries. The political situation changed in February 2016, when Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected president, opening the way to new prospects of peace and the reconstruction of this war-torn country. These possibilities can also be achieved through the activities and projects developed by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies. The first part of the project began on 5 February and will be developed over two weeks in Pisa's Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, with the involvement of six senior diplomats from the Central African Republic.

Andrea de Guttry, professor of International Law at the Institute of Law, Politics and Development of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, opened the course which will include lectures by internationally renowned professors and experts. The goal is to create a pool of local trainers and promote an exchange of good practices and experiences to help relaunch the domestic training of diplomats who are at the beginning of their international career. The second two-month part of the project will start on May 7, 2017 in Yaounde (Cameroon) at the Institut des Relations Internationales du Cameroun (IRIC), a project partner. Fifteen young diplomats from CAR will attend the course together with several diplomats from Cameroon. Attendees will be taught the necessary competences and skills to fulfil their task as diplomats and represent their countries at regional and international level. Classes will be organised in Cameroon in conjunction with IRIC, thus emphasizing the importance of South-South cooperation, which the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies has been promoting for quite a few years now.

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